Star Wars: Defiance
by Starkiller21bd
Summary: [Real summary inside] The story of two teens who come together to defend their family against overwhelming odds, just like their parents did before them. Post Return of the Jedi. First fanfic.
1. Intro

Real Summary:

The Second Galactic Civil War is finally over, but the Rebellion's victory has come at a price to the crew of the Ghost: Ezra Bridger is officially killed in action. After the evil Sith Lord Darth Vader captured Bridger during a botched mission before the Battle of Yavin, the group of rebels vowed to bring an end to the Empire, for him and the unborn son he'd never known that Sabine Wren carried.

Now, twelve years after the fateful Battle of Endor, Caleb Wren finds himself on a Mandalore controlled by a massive and oppressive military claiming to be the new Galactic Empire. With no friends or family, he's driven to become a hopeless bounty hunter, earning very little credits to survive.

However, everything changes when a stranger manages to sneak past the Imperial system blockade. After a bounty goes out on the stranger, who happens to be a New Republic agent, Caleb sees hope in the form of a ten thousand credit reward.

To his dismay, his newfound hope has a familiar name.

Depa, Jedi daughter of Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla.

* * *

 **Like I said before, this is my first attempt at a fanfic, but I've had this idea for a while. Ever since the finale of season one. I had to update my ideas to go along with what happened in season two, but this story will mostly disregard season three. It basically goes down a different path after Maul is introduced. Anyway, I'll try to get the first chapter in before I have to go do something away from home next Wednesday. See y'all later.**


	2. Arrival

**I know I said I'd update before Wednesday, but I was bored so Chapter One is up in advance.**

 **So, just a few author notes. The main characters of Defiance are OCs, and people who know Kanan's background should be able to recognize their names. Plus, Caleb and Depa seemed fitting. Also, I put the pairing as Kanan x Hera, but really it's only minor stuff because you know, they had a kid. I don't want to spoil anything else, but the pairings will become clearer further in the story. Anyway, here's Chapter One of Star Wars Defiance.**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

The swirling blue colors give way to the darkness of space as a small, fighter sized ship exits hyperspace. The ship glides through space while its pilot, a light green skinned Twi'lek, checks the various screens around her.

"Looks like nobody's noticed us yet. Chop, are you picking up anything?"

A rusty, mostly orange colored droid responds with a drawled out beep from its position atop the ship.

"Good. This mission is starting off pretty well …" Depa Syndulla says, grabbing the Phantom's controls. She eases the ship forward, guiding it toward a small, white sphere in the distance.

"Keep scanning," she warns the droid. "Something made this place drop off the map."

 _Or someone …_

Depa sees tiny specks in the distance, surrounding the sphere in what seemed to be an organized pattern. The closer the Phantom got to the planet, the bigger the specks got. Within a couple of minutes, the specks grew to the size of large, gray wedges, floating in space.

Chopper immediately starts beeping wildly, metal arms waving even though Depa can't see him from the cockpit. The ship's translation comes across as a message on the screen in between her hands.

"Imperial Star Destroyers?" she repeats, eyes wide. She'd heard stories about them during the war, when she was five, but she'd never seen one before.

Now she was about to get up close to one.

She pushes the worries out of her mind. If they got past the blockade of Destroyers in one piece, there'd be nothing to worry about.

"Turn off all power on my signal."

Chopper responds with, " _Are you malfunctioning?!"_

"Just be ready," Depa replies before pushing the controls forward. The Phantom rapidly increases in speed, zooming toward the fleet of enemy ships.

 _Just a little more … Now!_

"Cut it, Chop!"

The Phantom instantly loses power, shutting off the engines and stabilizers. However, the momentum propels them forward, and Depa watches the fleet in wonder as the Phantom drifts safely toward the planet's atmosphere. With the ship's power down, the only thing the Destroyers could scan would be Depa, and one single life form didn't matter much to an enormous warship.

 _I never thought a ship could be so big._ Depa had been to a lot of planets and space stations in her sixteen years, but she'd never seen a freighter larger than a Rebel Alliance medical frigate.

A new message pops up on the screen in front of her, and she smiles. "Thanks, Chopper … I just came up with that."

She waits a few more seconds before manually restoring power, and then she pilots the Phantom through thin, white clouds.

When the Phantom breaks through clouds, Depa doesn't believe what she sees. Desert … everywhere. She'd read that the planet of Mandalore used to have forests and mountains, but now it was just a barren wasteland with barely any life in sight. She'd heard Mandalorian clans fought each other for supremacy and honor, but Sabine Wren hadn't been mean to her or her parents before she disappeared.

A frown appears on her face. Depa hadn't thought of her in five years, ever since she vanished when Depa was eleven.

 _Focus on the mission. The faster you find what you're looking for, the faster you can get back to Mom and Dad._

Eventually, Chopper is able to locate the Mandalorian capital, Sundari, where Depa was supposed to look for any information regarding the Mandalorians' problem. Once Chopper gives her the coordinates, Depa accelerates toward the bio domed city on the horizon.

—

It hadn't taken as long as Depa thought it would to find a place to land. She knew she had to avoid the main spaceport, so she chose to enter the dome through one of the larger vents on the side, where the Phantom rested safely on a steel platform overlooking the city inside.

" _There are multiple Imperial speeders patrolling the streets,"_ Chopper informs Depa as she sits in the pilot's seat. " _They will likely be checking identifications of any suspicious characters."_

Depa raises an eyebrow mark. "Who are you calling 'suspicious character'?" It was meant as a joke, but Chopper obviously didn't take it as one.

" _Twi'leks are not common on Mandalore. There is a 73.2% chance we will be detected before the mission is finished."_

"'We'? Sorry, Chop. You're not coming with me," Depa says as she grabs the belt wrapped around her chair.

" _Now there is a 86.5% chance you will be detected —"_

"Quit making up numbers, Chopper. I'm going alone, and that's final." Depa frowns again. _I sound like Mom … when she gave lectures to me and —_

Depa stands and shakes her head, feeling her lekku brush against her back. _This isn't the time or place to think about him._

She clips her utility belt into place around her waist, and she checks the small blaster in its holster to see if it was loaded. Once she's done, she glances at her right leg; a small tube was tightly strapped to the side of her calf. _Hopefully I won't have to use that._

Finally, she heads toward the back exit and presses a button on the wall to her right. The hatch swings open, revealing a displeased Chopper.

" _I should come to support,"_ the droid protests again.

Depa sighs. "Chopper, I can handle myself." _They wouldn't send me on this mission otherwise._

Chopper lets out a disappointed whistle before rolling inside the Phantom. "Keep the ship hidden. If an Imperial comes by, move. Or … deal with him, if you can," Depa instructs. The droid beeps his affirmative.

When the hatch closes, Depa walks to the edge of the platform and observes the busy capital.

 _Well … here goes nothing._

She jumps off of the platform and begins her mission.

* * *

 **I'll leave it at that. Like I said, no spoilers. The next chapter will probably be longer. I appreciate reviews, on an end note.**


	3. Last Chance

**I forgot to mention that the Rebels characters and all that belong to Disney. My mistake, Mickey Mouse.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

" _The Iron Blockade of the Anoat Sector has finally broken after a major breakthrough made possible by a group of freedom fighters. With the sector now free, officials meet to discuss who will represent the thriving world of Bespin in the New Republic Senate —"_

Caleb shuts the HoloNews broadcast off with a frown. He sets the datapad aside on his lone table in the corner of one of Sundari's most popular cantinas and leans back in his seat.

All of these New Republic broadcasts made it seem like the galaxy was finally restoring itself and everything was just great.

Everything wasn't great. At least, not on Mandalore.

The Shriek-Hawk's Nest wasn't particularly busy today; the main room was quiet and the bar was the most inhabited location. The latter was normal, the former not so much.

Apparently, a group of people had been arrested after trying to make contact outside of the system. That was enough for their Imperial rulers to imprison them for the rest of their lives, while doing forced labor. Wherever that may be.

 _If the resistance was still around, I'd sign up in a heartbeat …_

Unfortunately, the Mandalorian Resistance had been wiped out about as fast as it had been created. The leaders had been executed publicly, while the others were just gone. If they were in the prisons, no one knew.

 _It's not like anyone would help them._ Caleb had clashed with the Imperial stormtroopers walking around months ago, but he'd given up. The troopers kept coming, and his partner had been captured. He never saw her again. The Imperial broadcasts were true, he believed that.

 _Anyone who defies the Empire is to be executed for treason._

This Empire was about as bad as the last one. The last Empire had taken his father away from him; this one took the only friend he had left.

What concerned him was how fast the Empire had showed up and taken control. It was a year back when the Star Destroyers appeared, and then stormtroopers had assaulted the only government building in the city. Then they'd started setting up checkpoints with walkers and somehow, TIE fighters were flying patrols even inside the bio dome.

 _It's like they've been planning this since Endor …_

Caleb pushes the thought aside. Even if that were the case, he couldn't warn the New Republic. And that brought up a new issue. What had the Republic done to help them? Basically nothing. There were reports that guessed what had become of Mandalore, but no one acted.

So no. Caleb decided to sit and do nothing, just as the Republic had. Let the Empire take over again … maybe a new rebellion would form, and then it would all start over.

Four years ago, he wouldn't have said that. Four years ago, he wouldn't have had to even deal with it. He'd be back on the Ghost, with Kanan and Hera and Zeb and —

 _Drop it … it's not like you'll see them again anyway. You ran away; they've probably forgotten about you by now._

Somehow he doubts that. Kanan may be blind, but he wasn't forgetful …

A chuckle snaps him out of his thoughts. Caleb glances up from the table to see a plain clothed, middle aged man with a thick beard. A pair of mechanic goggles rested on the man's forehead.

"Drowning your sorrows again, kid?"

Caleb eyes the bottle in his right hand and narrows his brown eyes. He'd developed a drinking problem ever since his partner had left, but he wasn't worried about it. Not that there was anything to worry about anymore anyway.

"I'm seventeen … and quit calling me 'kid'." Caleb's gaze meets the man's, eyes still narrowed. "And you're here too, Rys. Who comes to a cantina and doesn't drink?"

A toothy grin appears on Rys Baric's face as he takes a seat across from Caleb. "I've never known someone who just takes up permanent residence in a cantina … and I definitely thought it wouldn't be you, Wren."

"It's not like I have anywhere else to go … neither do you." Caleb lazily gestures to the ceiling, referring to the Imperial blockade.

"Well …" Rys reaches out and pulls the bottle of ne'tra gal ale out of Caleb's hand. He sets it out of the teen's reach. "I make the most of my opportunities. You and your old girl used to, but now —"

"Don't bring Kirra up again." Caleb's look is stony, and he points at the man for emphasis, even though he can't see.

"— but now you're slacking. When's the last time you even ate?"

Caleb frowns. _Since when did he care?_

The question itself puzzles him. He honestly doesn't have an answer.

Rys takes it seriously. "Force, kid. Are you even taking jobs anymore?"

Caleb shakes his head. He'd stopped with the bounty hunting a month ago.

Rys sighs. "Look … I'd give you credits if I could. But as you can see, us Mandalorians aren't exactly rich —"

The table vibrates as Caleb's datapad lights up. The curious teen grabs the device and sets it between them, and Caleb examines the alert.

" _All able-bodied citizens of Sundari are required to assist in the search for this traitor of the Empire."_

Beneath the message was a picture, apparently taken right before a probe droid was blasted to bits. A green skinned Twi'lek was facing the camera, blaster in hand and aimed.

Below that, it continued.

" _Last seen moving through the Market District. Responsible for the deaths of six loyal stormtroopers and the destruction of an Imperial transport. Considered armed and dangerous."_

What came next made Caleb's eyes widen in surprise.

" _Upon capture, transfer to the Central Imperial Complex for a reward of 10,000 credits."_

The two Mandalorians remain silent as Caleb looks the datapad over. Had he read it correctly?

"What does it say?"

Caleb doesn't look at Rys as he explains. "It's a bounty … with a ten thousand credit reward."

 _Ten thousand credits? I … I would have enough food for years!_

When Caleb looks up from the datapad screen, he sees Rys' misty eyes are wide.

"Well, kid, there's your chance. You could probably just bribe Imperials who wanted to arrest you with that much money."

There was a spot at the bottom of the message where a name could be typed in. Whoever sent it in first had the responsibility, until they failed. It amazed him that no one else had claimed the bounty yet.

With a quick move of his fingers, it was done.

Rys nods. "There we go. Now get a move on. They'll be gone, or someone else will have the bright idea to take that bounty from you."

Caleb glances at the helmet that sat on the table, on the edge next to the wall. It was painted black, with blue streaks mixed in. The same as the armor he wore.

He grabs the helmet and quickly exits the cantina, making sure to thank Rys.

The HUD comes to life as soon as it slides into place, and he finds himself smiling.

Caleb Wren was back in the game, for the final time.

* * *

 **The HoloNews broadcast is a reference to the mobile game, Uprising. And for those of you who didn't notice, Baric (one of the many OCs in this story) has something in common with a member of the Ghost crew. If you didn't catch it, then it'll be explained in the next chapter.**


	4. Lost

**Chapter Three**

 _One Hour Earlier …_

 _Chop was right about me standing out._

Depa couldn't help but feel like she was being watched by … well, everyone. There wasn't a single Twi'lek in sight, and there weren't any green skinned humans walking around either.

So every person she passed on the busy streets gave her a confused look, while some people, mostly men, outright stared.

If there was one word to describe the situation, it would be uncomfortable.

That was when Depa had decided to take a detour down the series of alleyways connecting to the different roads. Detour to where, she couldn't quite say. She was still lost.

 _Maybe Chopper should've came with me._

Depa immediately turns down the idea. A Twi'lek was suspicious enough; one with a cranky, old droid would draw attention.

A loud, strung out whine overhead makes her flinch, and she looks up to see the underside of an Imperial TIE fighter pass.

 _These things are everywhere._ She sighs. _I can't find any information just walking around. I need to … ask someone?_

Depa stops when she hears a metallic cling to her right. She turns to see a man standing on the top of a ladder leaning against a ship, which was small enough to stay inside the open garage it rested in.

"Can you hand me that?"

The man at the top of the ladder doesn't even look at her as half his body is inside the cockpit, hands working on something.

Depa hesitates before stepping forward, grabbing the tool before raising it up to the man.

His outfit was oil stained, like her mother's was after she worked on the Ghost for only a few minutes. A pair of goggles sat on messy dark brown hair.

It takes a moment for him to realize she'd grabbed the tool, and he finally climbs out of the cockpit and accepts the object.

Depa watches as the man carefully climbs down the ladder. He looked middle-aged, but he moved as if he were elderly.

"Thanks. Name's Baric. Rys Baric."

Depa's mouth opens to speak, but she stops when she sees the color of the man's eyes. Sort of … cloudy.

"Depa." _Karabast._ She didn't intend on using her real name, but it was too late.

"You new here? Don't think I've met you before, Miss Depa."

Depa raises an eyebrow mark. _He's blind … just like Daddy._

"I … I just got here, yeah."

Rys' look turns shocked. "You made it past the blockade?"

"Uh … no. I mean yes. It's hard to explain. Or … I can't explain it." Depa shifts awkwardly as she tries to think of what to say.

Rys has a confused look on his face for a moment, then offers a small smile. "Good luck … with whatever you plan on doing."

"Thank you."

Depa leaves as quickly as possible without trying to seem rude. She hadn't planned the conversation to go that way, giving out that much information, so she'd left. She'd have to ask someone else, but she doubted that anyone here would show that much generosity.

 _I still don't see how he was fixing that fighter. How can you replace half a cockpit without seeing what you're doing?_

Her curiosity almost got the better of her back there, though. She'd raced starfighters before, when her mother had allowed her, and she thought she'd seen a ship like that before. Maybe she was just imagining things.

Depa turns down one of the streets next to the main road, and finds herself next in line at an Imperial checkpoint.

"— Identification."

The man in front of her had three others with him, most likely his family.

 _Maybe I can go back the way I came …_

Depa doesn't even make it a meter away until a stormtrooper spots her.

"Halt!"

She curses under her breath and stops walking.

Two soldiers move from the troop carrier on the other side of the street and advance toward her.

"Where are you going?" asks one trooper, blaster rifle in hand. Depa couldn't help but notice the safety was off.

She searches for some kind of excuse, anything that will give her a chance.

"Um … I'm heading back to my ship."

 _Shouldn't have said that._

The white armor clad Imperials glance at each other before facing her again. "All non Imperial transports are grounded."

The one to her right extends a gloved hand. "Let's see some identification."

Depa pretends to search for it in the inside pockets of her jacket, but knowingly comes up empty. "I … left it back on the ship. If you let me go get it —"

"Take her in," says the soldier to her left, ignoring her fake statement.

The one to her right grabs her arm and gives her a shove toward the transport.

 _Karabast … if they bring me to their base, they'll interrogate me. And then they'll know I'm with the Republic._

She tries to convince herself that she wouldn't talk, but she hasn't been trained for that. There has to be another option.

Depa allows the soldiers to place her inside the troop carrier, and they set her down on one of the benches.

As the stormtrooper in front of her moves to place restraints on her wrists, she sees her chance.

She reaches forward and grabs the thermal detonator off of the stormtrooper's belt, who yells in surprise.

"What are you doing?!"

She kicks the soldier in the abdomen with both feet, involuntarily calling on the Force for more effect. The stormtrooper slams into the opposite wall, and there's a crack sound when his back hits the extended bench.

Depa hears the other troopers move outside, so she activates the bomb in her hands and drops it to the floor. Then she runs out with her blaster pistol drawn.

"Fire!" a stormtrooper with a orange shoulder armor shouts, speaking to his startled men.

Depa ignores them and jumps behind a parked speeder nearby. What comes next is a flash, then a loud explosion. She can't differentiate between the stormtrooper's screams or the people walking around, and that's when her heart stops for a moment.

She raises up and tries to see through the smoke and fire, attempting to locate the family that had just been at the checkpoint.

 _The smoke is too thick!_

She reaches out with the Force instead, sensing the panicked civilians running away, and the confused stormtroopers that stumbled around. Finally, she finds the unharmed group of four and lets herself breathe.

She immediately starts coughing as she inhales the smoke.

Depa shakes her head and stands, looking at the damage she'd caused.

Five stormtrooper lay on the ground, bodies immobile. Then there was the one who'd likely disintegrated inside the wrecked troop transport.

 _I need to get out of here._

Depa could already hear the whine of TIE fighters heading her direction, which meant reinforcements were already on their way.

She sprints toward an alley on the opposite side of the street and jumps, calling on the Force to propel her onto the rooftop. Luckily, the thick smoke kept anyone from noticing the jump.

The whine of the TIEs gets louder right after Depa slides behind one of the roof vents, concealing herself from the enemy above.

 _It takes thirty seconds for a TIE to respond._ Depa observes the scene around her and makes a mental note. _Forty-five for ground reinforcements._

She honestly thought it was impressive, but the short response times were only around because there were so many checkpoints and outposts scattered around the city, some even just a block away.

 _That's not exactly a good thing._ If Depa ran into this problem again, the response time would be even shorter.

She glances down at the street to see multiple stormtroopers walking around, blasters raised.

 _Gotta move._ Just as she stands and turns, a large object knocks her off of her feet.

 _What the …?_

Depa pulls out her blaster and aims it at the black object, which happens to be a hovering droid with at least a dozen arms hanging from the bottom of it.

 _Probe!_

She fires once, and the droid spins around, seemingly unaffected. She fires again, then again, and again. Then the Imperial droid collapses to the roof.

Unfortunately for her, the fight had drawn the attention of the TIE fighters passing by.

Depa curses again and runs, just before a TIE blows a hole into the roof where she'd been standing.

 _This is not going well!_

The fighters have her running for about a block and a half, and then she sees her savior. An open window.

Depa dives in, using the Force to soften her fall, and quickly notices that the house is empty.

She looks back out the window to find that the fighters have taken the bait, and they all fly right over her hiding spot.

Depa falls to the floor and leans against the wall, careful to not hurt her lekku.

When she wipes her forehead, sweat comes off on her hand.

"That was a close one …"

* * *

 **The first action scene! Sort of. More like survival scene. This chapter just explains how there's a bounty out on Depa, and that she's on the run. So long for now.**


	5. Found

**There is a Mandalorian word in this one, so I put the definition at the bottom. Warning: said word is bad on some people's standards.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

Caleb had never seen so many Imperials running around.

As soon as he steps outside of the Shriek-Hawk's Nest, he's bumped into by a stormtrooper running down the road.

Caleb looks to where the troopers are running, and he spots smoke rising over the buildings just a block away. There were TIE fighters flying over the area, and troop carriers were zooming down the road at speeds he didn't even know they could reach.

 _What is going on?_

He has the urge to go and investigate, but there would be so many Imperials he'd probably be arrested just for being in the way.

Instead, Caleb's attention turns to a subtle whistling sound. He faces the buildings across the road from the cantina, where the source of the noise seems to be.

He walks across the street and heads down the alley, oblivious to the people hiding from the Empire's forces.

Using the ladder hanging from a balcony, Caleb climbs up to where the whistling gets louder and clearer.

 _What is that?_

He stares at the door in front of him and recognizes the symbol above the opening button. _That's Kirra's mark._ The abandoned apartment had been a safehouse that his partner had set up, apparently. He didn't remember the place, though.

Caleb tries the button, but the door doesn't budge. So, he pushes the door open with his bare hands, and he ducks as a blaster bolt flies past his head.

"Stay back!"

 _A girl?_

Caleb raises his hands, showing that he means no harm. Once his vision has adjusted, he sees a green Twi'lek standing next to an open window on the other side of the room, her pistol aimed at his head.

"Haar'chak …" Caleb mutters, shoulders slumping. The Twi'lek makes a confused face when he speaks.

He keeps his hands where she can see them while he pushes the door closed. "You look awfully jumpy there, lady," he says, noticing that she hadn't put the blaster down.

"Is this your house?"

Caleb shrugs. "It's about as much as yours as it is mine."

The Twi'lek doesn't lower her blaster, and only seems to look more defensive.

"What do you want?"

 _Have to get her to put that blaster down. Then I can stun her without worrying about getting shot._

"Probably the same thing you want. To get off the streets. Empire's tearing this place apart." Caleb notices the look on her face.

"Has anyone gotten hurt?"

The question is so innocent that he wishes he could give an answer. Unfortunately, he didn't have one.

"Don't know. But I do know one thing …"

Caleb slowly turns and locks the door. "The Empire isn't going to stop if they don't find the person they're looking for."

He sees her hands' grip on the pistol tightens. "I wonder who did it."

"So do I."

Caleb waves his fingers, causing a picture frame on the wall to his right to fall and shatter. The Twi'lek flinches and looks at the wall, only for Caleb to charge and pull the blaster out of her hands.

However, the girl puts up a fight. Before he can aim the weapon at her, she kicks his right hand, sending the pistol flying. Then she knees him in the side and knocks him off balance.

"Ugh … I just want to —" Caleb blocks a punch and backs up. "— talk!"

The girl sweeps his feet out from under him, and he lands heavily on his back.

She lands on his stomach, pinning his arms to the floor with her knees. Then she punches his helmet, causing it to vibrate inside.

 _Get … off!_

Caleb brings his right leg up, pushing her to the side, which allows him to get his right arm back. He grabs her forearm firmly before flipping them over, slamming her onto the floor.

The Twi'lek bares her species' naturally sharp teeth in defiance, but she freezes when Caleb puts a vibroknife against her neck.

"Move one more time …" he dares, voice stern.

The girl's eyes narrow as her breathing slows, and only then can he actually see what she looks like. Gray cap covering her cone shaped ears and the back of her head, where her lekku start. Smooth face, round jaw, curved nose. Vibrant green eyes glaring.

 _Beautiful …_

He shoves the thought aside just as hard as he'd done to the girl. He wasn't here to make friends.

"You're a bounty hunter," the girl says, oblivious to the knife against her neck.

"That's right."

"I'm trying to help you. If you let me go —"

"That ain't happening. You're staying right here." Caleb frowns right after. "Wait. What do you mean 'help'?"

"Get the knife out of my face, then I'll tell you." She smiles triumphantly up at him.

Caleb only applies a tiny amount of pressure on the knife, but it's enough to make the smile fall off of the Twi'lek's face.

"Tell me now."

She lets out a frustrated sigh before she talks. "Fine … I'm trying to figure out why the Empire is here. I'm with the New Republic."

Caleb's eyes widen in genuine surprise. The girl must take the silence as such, because she continues, with more enthusiasm.

"I can help Mandalore. If you let me get some information, I can report back. The fleet can liberate the system."

Caleb stays still, causing the girl to feel more frightened about the knife.

"You have to believe me!"

"No one has gotten off world in a year. You might've made it here, but you're not going anywhere."

Caleb stands and puts the knife back in its sheathe on his belt. He bends down and grabs her arm, lifting her up before slapping restraints on her wrists.

She stares at his helmet's visor, mouth slightly open.

"And I need credits … not some elaborate plan to end up dead." Caleb looks out the window at the empty alleyway. "The Central Complex is in the middle of the city. It'll take a while to get there with people looking for you."

The girl watches him as he watches the TIEs on patrol. "You're going to turn me into the Imperials, but they can't catch you?"

"I'm not worried about Imperials. It's other Mandalorians."

Caleb picks her pistol up off of the floor and turns the safety on. He gives it a quick examination before tucking it into his belt.

"You got a name?"

He glances up from the blaster to see the Twi'lek staring at the door.

"It was Syndulla … but I'm guessing I'll be dead by tomorrow, so why does it matter?"

* * *

 **The whistling that leads Caleb to Depa is kind of how Ezra first sensed Kanan on the series premiere of Rebels. That's what I was trying to make it seem like.**

 **Haar'chak — Damn it**

 **What a note to end on, huh?**


	6. Separated

**Chapter Five: Separated**

High above the capital city of Sundari is an enormous Imperial Star Destroyer, hovering in space. The warship is larger than the other Destroyers among the Mandalorian blockade, and therefore is the Empire's headquarters in the sky.

The bridge of the _Terminus_ is buzzing with activity, as officers dressed in leftover yet clean gray uniforms, each with their own correct rank patches, pass reports off to one another. The few stormtroopers stationed in the room guard the door, the only entrance or exit.

At the end of the bridge stands a figure, clad in a black uniform with small pieces of dark armor mixed in. A helmet with a 'T' shaped visor rests on his head, and his breathing is amplified through the speaker where his mouth is.

Some officers aboard the _Terminus_ believe he's the dark twin of the late Darth Vader. Others avoid him, not bothering to have an opinion after they see how threatening he looks.

There he stands, hands behind his back, observing the planet below through the main viewport as the bridge works behind him.

His eyes are closed behind the helmet's visor, and his breaths are steady and slow.

"Lord Volyk."

Volyk had sensed the officer approach, and had purposefully ignored him. General Thane Matok had been a decorated commander in the war with the Rebel Alliance, but none of that mattered now. Volyk had stopped the General's bad habit of reminiscing of the war in only a week, many years ago.

"You summoned me, my lord?"

Volyk opens his eyes and looks at the giant ball below them.

"Something has happened … there are ripples in the Force."

Matok nods, glancing at the datapad in his hand. "Yes … one of the checkpoints in Sundari was attacked. Six stormtroopers confirmed dead. We're still searching for the one responsible."

"And?" Volyk surprisingly sounds patient.

"Central Command already released a call for the Mandalorians to assist in the search. Someone has taken the job, but hasn't turned up any results. Same as our men," Matok reports.

Volyk's helmet turns to the side. He was intrigued.

"Who attacked the checkpoint?"

"Here, sir." Matok passes the datapad to Volyk, who examines the picture one of the probe droids sent. The General continues talking. "We don't have a name yet. Somehow … she isn't in the records."

Volyk turns to face him. " _What_?"

Matok tugs at the collar of his uniform as sweat builds on his forehead. "She … may have gotten through the blockade."

Volyk remains silent for a moment before stepping toward the general.

"You guaranteed that _no one_ would enter the system. Now she will find a way to alert the Republic!"

Matok flinches but does not back down.

"My lord, it is very possible that she isn't with the Republic. Other independent freighters have tried to make it through —"

"Find her. Now. If any Mandalorians get in the way, kill them. I want her alive," Volyk snaps. He glares beneath his helmet. "Do not disappoint me."

"Yes, sir."

— — —

It hadn't been until the Mandalorian had seemingly frozen in place that Depa realized how skinny he was. It looked as though he hadn't ate in days.

 _Maybe he hasn't …_

The thought leaves her mind. She needs to escape, not stay and become some bounty hunter's prize.

The Mandalorian finally speaks after a long pause, and he sounds shocked. "Syndulla?"

 _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Their gazes both turn toward the door, where someone had just knocked, hard.

"Open up in there!"

"Kriff … stormtroopers," Depa hears the Mandalorian say, and he cautiously moves toward the door. He looks back at her and points to the far side of the room, and motions for her to do something along the lines of, "Go over there and don't make a sound."

Depa only does half of what he wants her to, staying silent but close to the wall beside the door.

 _This is the only exit besides the window._

Her eyes widen, and she almost kicks herself for missing it. _The window! Why didn't I just go back out that way before this guy came in?_

"Open the door!"

"Whatever you say, buckethead …" The Mandalorian pulls the door open and kicks the first visible trooper, making him stumble back and fall off of the balcony.

Two more take his place, entering the room quickly. The Mandalorian grabs one soldier's blaster rifle by the barrel, and then shoves it into the Imperial's visor, causing a _crack!_ sound.

Depa finds herself staring into the barrel of the second stormtrooper's rifle. "It's the girl!"

 _Gotta move!_

Depa rolls out of the way instinctively, dodging a stun bolt before sprinting toward the open window in the back.

"Wait!"

She ignores the Mandalorian, who managed to free himself from the first trooper's grip, and dives. She flips and lands on the ground on her feet, immediately breaking into a run.

"There she is!"

 _Karabast!_ _How many are there?!_ A stun bolt flies past her as she keeps running, passing across a street before entering the alleyways again.

If she could just lay low for a while, then maybe she could get a layout of the city from someone. _There's got to be some place I can hide and get these blasted things off!_ The restraints were still secured to her wrists, and running made them feel tighter against her skin.

Depa spots a troop transport fly past up ahead, and she slides to a stop at the end of the alley. She looks around, hoping for something to help at all. Her gaze lands on a grate next to the wall, a slightly rusted piece of durasteel that was barely still secured to its brackets.

 _Better than nothing._

She rushes over and stomps on the grate, breaking it free and knocking it down to the sewer below. The _clang_ sound echoes up through the hole in the ground, and she ignores it as she jumps down into the darkness below.

— — —

"You guys are really annoying sometimes," Caleb remarks, tapping one of the fallen stormtroopers with his boot. The other had landed awkwardly, the upper half of his body propped up against the wall. The third had cracked his neck after hitting the ground outside.

One look out of the back window showed him that the Twi'lek girl was gone. Not only that, but she had a two minute head start thanks to the stormtroopers that had tried to detain him.

 _I have to find her._

The only problem with that was the dozens of Imperials searching the city for her. He couldn't get half a block away before an Imperial patrol caught him, and the curfew was probably already in effect. He'd have to look for her in the morning.

 _Hopefully she'll be okay for awhile._

* * *

 **So I haven't updated in awhile, and sorry for that. A lot of stuff happened. I'll try to update sooner from now on, hopefully just right after I finish a chapter.**


	7. Hope

**Chapter Six: Hope**

Depa sighs as she walks alongside the wall of the sewer.

"Out of all the places I could've hid in, I chose the sewers …"

She shakes her head as she makes a disgusted face. _This place smells worse than Zeb._

She'd managed to get her restraints off by spinning her lightsaber in an awkward way, slicing them through the middle. Then she'd immediately thrown the pieces away and put the saber back in its hiding spot.

Unfortunately, the smell wasn't the only problem she was facing. The Sundari sewer system was large, and it connected with the upper levels of the city's bio dome. It was basically a large maze, one that she didn't have a map to.

 _Maybe Chopper can plug in somewhere._

Depa pulls out her comlink and tries to contact the droid, only to hear a burst of static.

"Great. Transmissions are jammed." She shoves the comlink back onto her belt frustratingly.

Her whole plan had gone up in flames the moment she'd run into that checkpoint. She was supposed to be blending in, quietly getting the information she needed. Now she had the city's entire garrison of Imperials searching for her.

 _I need help. And I won't be getting it if I run into more trouble._

Something told her that she wouldn't be getting anything today. With another frustrated sigh, she stops walking.

 _A few hours of rest and then I'm going out. Hopefully everything will kind of be back to normal._

Depa slides out of her jacket and lays it out across a dry piece of duracrete. That was the closest she could get to having something to lay on.

 _It'll have to do._

— — —

 _ **Flashback**_

" _Ow! Chopper!"_

 _Depa giggles as the blue haired boy in front of her recoils after receiving a painful shock. "What was that for?"_

" _I think he just doesn't like you. Or Uncle Zeb," Depa says, getting the boy's attention._

" _Well, he needs to stop. I almost got this thing working." He kneels down next to the wall, fingers working on some cylindrical shaped object._

" _What is that?" Depa asks, walking over._

 _The boy grins, glancing at her. "It's a little prank Mom helped me set up. As soon as Zeb wakes up and walks through this door, he'll trigger the sensor and get sprayed with paint."_

 _Depa didn't have to ask where her friend had gotten the paint from. She knew his mother would be more than happy to give up some if it meant making Zeb look like a walking canvas._

" _Do you wanna wait with me?"_

 _Depa smiles at the thought of seeing Zeb covered in paint. "You bet, Cal."_

 _Caleb knocks on the door to Zeb's room loudly before quietly running to Depa's hiding place around the corner of the hall. Chopper rolls over with them._

 _It takes the Lasat a couple of minutes to finally make it outside of the room, but when he steps through the doorway, nothing happens. He rubs his eyes and looks around. "Who knocked?" he asks with a yawn._

" _Aw, Chopper, you made me mess it up," Caleb whines, thumping the droid on the side of his domed head. Chopper throws up his arms in protest, saying, "I had nothing to do with it," in his language._

 _Caleb and Depa walk over to the device planted on the wall as Zeb watches with a confused face._

" _What were you two doing this time?"_

" _Well, we were gonna —"_

 _Suddenly, the device activates, spraying both Caleb and Depa with yellow paint._

 _Chopper starts laughing, along with Zeb, who slaps his knee. "Oh, that's gotta be the saddest thing I ever saw."_

 _Caleb and Depa wipe the paint away from their faces at the same time, and they glare at Chopper, who was laughing and waving a remote._

 _Then, another burst of paint flies from the device, this time spraying Zeb's side._

 _They all face the droid and yell, "Chopper!"_

 _ **End Flashback**_

— — —

Depa jolts awake, rising up to a sitting position. Her panic subsides as she remembers everything that happened.

 _Gotta go._

She stands and grabs her jacket, brushing bits of dust off before putting it back on. Then she realizes that everything is quiet, besides the steady drop of water coming from the other side of the sewer tunnel.

 _The alarms stopped._ Depa smiles. "Must be my lucky day."

It's a short walk to the nearest grate, and she gently pushes it open with the Force before jumping up through the hole.

The grate happens to be in the middle of another alley, but this time it isn't deserted. People dressed in nothing but rags and dirty clothes huddle up against the walls, and there's a large piece of cloth that hangs over half the alley.

Depa connected the dots quickly. They were homeless, and apparently were hiding from the TIE patrols above.

 _This is worse than I thought ... I really need to get that information._

She could sense that these people were cautious of her, some even scared, but one particularly wasn't. When she turns around, she finds him looking back at her from under the hood of a cloak, resting against the wall.

She shuts the grate and steps over to him. Before she can even open her mouth, the man speaks, sounding older and worn out.

"You're not from here."

The other people then ignore them, talking amongst themselves. Depa was sort of glad. She didn't like being watched.

"No, I'm not," she answers truthfully.

The man surprises her by gesturing for her to sit in front of him. She cautiously does so.

He grabs a nearby cup and pours some liquid into it from a large can, then offers it to her.

Depa nervously accepts it. She takes one sip and tries to hide the disgusted look on her face. Her coughing gives it up, though.

The man smirks from behind his hood. "Nothing here is good, but at least you don't starve. Anyway, what is a Twi'lek doing on Mandalore?"

Depa sets the cup down on the ground and bites her lip. _Should I tell him?_

She decides to only give him half the truth. "I'm looking for something important. Very important. But … I'm kind of stuck."

"Ah … you're what got the Imperials all riled up last night. Heard the explosion from here." The man takes a sip of his own cup and sighs. "It's been a long time since anyone's done something like that. Ever since Rau got himself captured."

Depa perks up. She'd heard that name before, somewhere. "Rau?"

The man nods. "Mm. Fenn Rau. Leader of the Mandalorian Resistance … or he used to be. The Empire took care of them a few months back."

Depa makes a confused face. "But you said Rau got captured."

"He did. But Imperial prisoners don't last long. They're interrogated, then executed. I doubt he's still alive."

Depa's expression falls. She could've had a good lead. "Well … how did he get captured?"

"He agreed to help these two kids and some man. If I remember correctly, he was with the Republic …"

Depa's eyes widen as the man takes another gulp of his drink. "Wait. The Republic came here before?"

"Yes. He stumbled into the Resistance command center one day, bleeding out. These two kids carried him inside. Said he had to complete some mission or something so the Republic could come and free us. The man bled out though. But … he did tell Rau that if he got what he came for, then he could send it to the Republic on a secure channel. So, Rau, these kids, and half the Resistance went and stormed the Empire's main base."

The man sets his cup down and closes his eyes. "It was a massacre … we lost all of our people within an hour. Rau ordered the kids and the rest of us to retreat, but we stood our ground. Had to. We were surrounded. So, the Empire tried finishing us off with explosives. Only me, a few other soldiers, and one of the kids got out."

"Wait a minute. You were there? You were a Resistance fighter?" Depa asks, shocked.

The man nods again. "Mm hmm. Me and the others split up after our base was destroyed. That's how I ended up in this little pit."

Depa frowns. _Had he said there were kids that fought?_ "Who … were the kids?"

The man tilts his head to the side, and he scratches his dark beard. "Uh … I'm not sure. Rau knew the girl … she'd helped before in the past. Now the boy … he was about your age. Rau only listened to him because of his name."

"What was it?" Depa asks, interested.

"Uh … Wen? Or was it Wren?"

"Wren?" Depa launches a series of questions at him. "Are you sure it was Wren? You said he was my age. What was his full name?"

The man flinches at her sudden change of behavior, and then holds up his hands. "Whoa … slow down."

"Was his name Caleb Wren?" Depa begs for an answer, hand clutching something tightly against the front of her shirt.

"Uh … yeah, I think that was his name."

 _He's alive! I can't believe it!_

"Do you know where he is?"

She had to find him. She _had_ to.

The man shakes his head. "No … like I said, we all split up. There was nothing left to fight for since Rau was gone."

"Do you think he's still alive? Have you seen him?"

"I'm not sure …" His voice trails off when he sees Depa's happy expression vanish. "But … he was a strong kid. For his age, anyway. A Mandalorian like that could survive for awhile."

A small smile appears on Depa's face, and she nods. She runs a hand down her face to find water appear on it.

 _Am I crying?_

"Thank you," she says as she stands, not worrying about whether she was crying or not.

The man smiles back and nods. "You're welcome. Oh, and you might need this." He pulls the cloak off and gives it to her. "That way the Imperials don't see you right away."

Depa nods in appreciation and starts walking off.

"I hope you find your friend," he says quietly as she disappears around the corner.


	8. On the Trail

**Chapter Seven: On the Trail**

 _ **Flashback**_

" _What is going on here?"_

 _Caleb, Depa, and Zeb turn at the same time to see Hera standing at the other end of the hallway. She folds her arms across her chest and raises an eyebrow mark expectedly._

" _It wasn't me this time, I swear," Zeb says, holding up his hands._

" _Chopper did it," Caleb states, pointing behind him._

 _Hera looks past them and sees nothing. "Uh huh."_

 _Caleb and Depa turn back around to find the droid had vanished._

" _He was right there!"_

" _Told you he doesn't like me," Caleb says to Depa, shaking his head._

" _You do know you're going to clean this up, right?"_

 _The two children look back at Hera._

" _But Mom …" Depa starts._

" _No buts. Go get cleaned up. Then scrub this whole hallway clean."_

" _But it was Chopper," Caleb protests._

" _Chopper will get punished, too. I've got it covered," Hera assures them. "But you're still going to clean this up."_

 _Caleb and Depa sigh at the same time, and they both hang their heads._

" _Zeb, get the stuff they need. Then you're free to go."_

 _Hera watches them as Caleb and Depa reluctantly follow Zeb out of the hall._

— — —

" _I didn't give Chopper a remote … are you sure that's what happened?"_

" _Yes, Mom. That's how Depa and I got like this," Caleb explains._

 _Sabine had already helped Caleb clean himself up, and now was trying to get the yellow off of Depa's face as she sat on a chair and swung her legs back and forth._

" _Did it get Zeb at all?"_

" _Yep. It was all over his fur," Depa answers, giggling. Sabine smiles, offering a high five that Depa accepts._

" _As long as he got hit, that's all that matters."_

 _Caleb and Depa laugh at that. They'd quickly gotten over the fact that they'd have to clean the hall in a bit. Even though Chopper caused it, Caleb started it and Depa participated. And they did almost everything together, including chores._

" _Done," Sabine says, removing the rag from Depa's face. Depa smiles and tells her, "Thank you," before running off to get the cleaning supplies from Zeb._

 _Caleb moves to follow her, but Sabine holds him back with an arm. "Not so fast, ad'ika."_

 _He stops moving against her arm, then looks up at her and waits._

" _Try not to get into any more trouble."_

" _But it was Chopper …" Caleb says, head hanging._

" _Hey." Sabine holds his head back up and looks at him. "We'll get him back later. But we're not going to think about that until you clean the hall and make it up to Hera."_

" _Sorry."_

" _It's fine. Chopper's always like that. You just have to think of ways to get him back."_

 _Caleb grins and nods. Sabine lets him go, but as soon as he passes through the door, she calls after him._

" _Don't wreck the ship doing it!"_

 _Caleb can't help but laugh as he runs._

 _ **End Flashback**_

— — —

Caleb sighs as he stares into the dark visor of his helmet.

 _Why did she have to leave?_

He'd woken up a little early, after only three hours of sleep. He never could get that much rest, not since the attack with Fenn Rau.

 _If everything had worked out then, Rau and everyone would still be here. Kirra would be here … and now Depa's the only hope for saving this place._

Depa. How long had it been? Four years? It was a small number, but four years was time enough for people to change. He most certainly had.

 _But what about her? The only time she ever saw me was when I was holding a knife against her neck._

He still felt bad about it. No, he felt horrible. If he'd known, then no, he never would've done it.

 _She was scared … of me._

The look of shock and fear on her face didn't leave Caleb's mind. One of the things that had made him wake up so early.

 _If I go find her, she'll run. She doesn't know who I am._

His eyes widen. _What if she doesn't remember … or just doesn't believe me?_

He'd just have to prove it somehow. But first, he'd have to find her.

Caleb stands, taking his helmet with him as he walks away from the mat on the floor.

He'd taken shelter in another one of his old partner's hideouts. They'd worked out a system months ago, but most of their hiding spots had been discovered by the Imperials. The rest, Caleb forgot.

The walk to the door takes only a second. This hideout had been an old maintenance storage shack on top of some apartments, so the only thing he and his partner had placed inside was something to sleep on.

Once outside, Caleb could see that "Daytime" had arrived early in the city. The lights above shone brighter now, resembling tiny suns.

 _Where should I even start?_

Depa could be on the other side of the city, or on a different level. Either way, it would take days to look through every place.

 _We used to hide from each other back when we were little … but this? This is out of our league._

The only positive thing he was noting was that there were no TIE fighters flying anywhere above the buildings. There were only Imperial speeders and ground patrols, but the size of them had doubled overnight.

 _Guess I'll just have to move across rooftop then._

Caleb takes two steps forward before realizing that plan won't work. Black specks flew around the roofs of other buildings, scanning the surroundings.

 _Kriffing probes._ He sighs, looking around. His gaze lands on a grate on the street below him.

 _Sewer will work._

He and his partner used to use the sewers as an escape route for most jobs they took that were dangerous. Fortunately for him, they'd managed to map out over half of the city's sewer system.

"Good thing we did," mumbles Caleb, pulling the map out of a pocket on his belt. They'd drawn it on an old piece of cloth, which looked even more worn out with the fading paint they'd scrounged up.

 _It's not perfect, but I get the gist of it._ He takes the stairs down the side of the building, then heads over to the grate.

 _Hopefully nobody will report me for doing this._

Caleb glances around at the passing people before lifting the grate and dropping down into the hole. The durasteel echoes when it bangs back into place.

"Stinky as ever …" Caleb remarks. He pulls a flashlight from his belt and starts walking. Then he holds the map up and examines it.

 _Last place I saw her was at that room … nearest sewer entrance would be here._ His finger lands on a red circle, indicating a grate near where she'd ran away from him.

Since he'd only moved a block away from the place he'd seen her, he knew it wouldn't take long. That's why he starts running over.

He pauses about halfway there, seeing something out of the corner of his eye. A piece of metal lays against the ground a foot away, and when he walks over, he steps on the other piece.

Caleb grabs them and holds them up to the flashlight.

 _Wait a minute … these are the binders I put on her._

He immediately looks down both ends of the sewer tunnel, but only finds a rat.

 _She went through here. I'm close._

Or at least he thought. He just remembers that he waited a while before searching.

 _Kriff, Depa … it never took me this long to find you before._

He clips the restraints to his belt. It was something that he could use to show her that he'd tried to find her before.

And then he'd say sorry. _For everything._

If he had to beg for her to forgive him, he would.


	9. Reunion

**Chapter Eight: Reunion**

The cloak the man had given her worked like a charm. Even though some of the people she passed gave her concerned looks, the stormtroopers had left Depa alone. For now.

 _At least I don't have to use the alleys again_ , she thinks, staying close to the wall as she walks down the side of the street.

Her encounter with the man in the alley had been the only good thing that'd happened so far.

 _The Mandalorians formed a resistance, fought back, and lost. There was someone before me, and they didn't make it back to Coruscant. And … Caleb is alive._

There were doubts in the back of her mind, and she knew there was a possibility that her best friend could be dead.

But she didn't want to think about that. After some thinking, she figured out she did have a possible lead for getting Imperial information.

 _Fenn Rau._

The name rang a bell when the former resistance soldier had mentioned it. Caleb's mother had told them stories about Rau, and his efforts to rid Mandalore of the Empire.

 _If he's alive, I can break him out. Then he can help me get data back to the Republic … and maybe he could help me find Caleb._

The last part was a long shot, but it was worth a try. She just couldn't leave without finding out if he was there or not.

Depa spots a holographic sign on the side of the building and steps over. Once she gets closer, she sees that it's a holographic map of this level of the city.

 _Just what I need._

She examines it for a moment before swiping the image away, replacing it with a map of the level above.

The level above happens to be the main one, where most of the important government buildings were located. The list of buildings includes the Central Imperial Complex.

 _If they still have Rau, he'll be there._

Depa looks over the map one more time before following the flow of civilians.

— — —

Caleb sighs as he pushes the grate cover back over the hole with his boot. He'd searched that stretch of sewer for ten minutes, then had gone back up to the alleys.

He starts walking toward the busy street, thinking.

 _It'd be so easy if she could just … appear right in front of me._

When he passes the corner of building to his right, he immediately whips back around to hide.

 _I need to stop wishing for things._

"The Empire's going to destroy the city looking for that girl …"

"As soon as Kain finds her we move."

Caleb perks up at the mention of the name.

 _Kain … oh, kriff._

He slides out of sight behind a trash container before two armored Mandalorians walk by.

The men are members of Clan Tul, if Caleb remembers correctly. Kain, head of the clan, had been one of the 'contestants' for Manda'lor before the Empire showed up. Then, his group had become mercenaries.

 _They're bad news. Especially if they're looking for Depa._

Caleb looks over his cover to find that they've passed the alley. He stands and follows them from afar, making sure that he can see them between the heads of other civilians.

He raises his hand to the side of his helmet, turning a small dial on the side. It takes him a minute to find the correct frequency, and then he hears the mercenaries' voices through their helmet's comm channel.

"— found something. Headed toward the eastern lifts. He wants us to intercept."

 _There we go._

— — —

"Sorry!"

Depa doesn't bother turning back to wait for a response as she runs.

She'd sensed something was off the moment she saw the dark green armored Mandalorian following her. At first, she'd took different turns, making sure she was still heading toward the lifts to the level above. The Mandalorian had followed her.

He still was. Except this time, he was running, and shooting at her.

 _Where are the Imperials when you need them?!_

"Excuse me!" She pushes her way through a bunch of surprised pedestrians and keeps on running.

A whistle in the back of her mind prompts her to duck quickly. A red bolt flies past, nailing the wall beside her.

 _This guy's not giving up!_

Depa remembers something and turns right, heading straight toward a grate against the alley wall. She kicks it open and dives in, bouncing off of her hands with the Force and flipping onto her feet.

She hears the Mandalorian jump down behind her, so she doesn't stop running.

 _This planet is a death trap._

She hadn't even come close to starting her real mission, and it'd been a day. First Imperials, now bounty hunters.

The good thing about the sewer system is that there are a lot of places to hide, something Depa noticed during her overnight stay in one of the tunnels.

She turns down the tunnel to her left and slides to a stop.

At the other end is the bounty hunter she'd encountered before, the one with the dark blue and black armor. The one that had held a knife against her throat.

 _Karabast …_

She spins around and takes a few steps forward before seeing two green armored men in the opposite tunnel.

"Blast it …" She cautiously steps back, drawing her blaster as she equals out the distance between each of the enemies.

When the bounty hunter from earlier appears around the corner, everyone freezes.

"Wren?"

 _Wren?_

Depa whips back around to see the blue hunter aiming his blaster over her shoulder.

"You owe me, boy," the leader snarls behind his helmet, stepping toward Depa.

"I was going to pay you back."

"Well, you can pay me back with headtails here and a few broken bones."

"Not happening."

Depa steps back as the leader starts walking toward her.

 _Have to improvise._

She quickly pulls the cloak off and throws it at the Mandalorian in front of her. She flinches when there's a flash of red, and a bolt flies past her shoulder and nails the bounty hunter in the torso.

"Run!"

Depa doesn't need to know who the man behind her is to follow his command. She runs as fast as possible, passing the blue Mandalorian, and heads into the darkness.

The blaster fire fades until there's just a faint echo. The only sound Depa can hear is her feet and her heart beating too fast.

 _He said Wren … I swear he said Wren._

Depa slows to a stop and holds herself up by placing a hand against the dusty wall. She takes a minute to rest before stepping into a dark alcove built into it.

 _I can get the jump on them from here._ She pulls her pistol back out and leans back against the wall.

Close footsteps make her jump, and she raises the blaster to find the blue armored Mandalorian standing a foot in front of her, hands raised.

"Who are you?" Depa demands, eyes narrowed.

He slowly moves his hands to his helmet and pulls it off, dropping it at their feet.

Her eyes widen when she sees the dark blue hair and brown eyes of her long lost friend.

"Cal?" Depa gasps, sounding like a little girl again.

He looked different, gotten taller and skinnier. His hair had grown to be shaggy, and there was a little bit of stubble on his face.

But it was him. She knew it. She knew because of that stupid grin that he'd always used was on his face.

"Hey, Depa."

* * *

 **I was planning on putting this up yesterday but I read over it and had to fix some things. And as for that one shot thing I did, Rebel's Return, this chapter was based off of it. Speaking of which, thanks for those who favorited it. I might add some more stuff like that in the future since I like Ezra and Sabine and they're kind of my OC's parents.**

 **I might do a short over the new Rebels episode with Maul once it's over. Especially if he dies, since he's my favorite Sith and I don't want him to get killed off just yet.**


	10. A Way Out

**Chapter Nine: A Way Out**

Caleb watches Depa as she stares back at him in disbelief.

"I … I tried to find you earlier," Caleb says, fumbling with the broken restraints. They fall from his hands after he sees her expression hasn't changed a bit.

He quickly reaches around to the back of his belt and pulls the vibroknife from its sheath, dropping it to the ground next to the wall.

"I didn't know that was you … I'm sorry."

 _Say something … please!_

When she takes a small step forward, he winces and braces himself for a punch to the face, or at least a shove.

But Depa throws herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she hugs him tightly. The force of the movement makes Caleb hold onto the sides of the wall to keep from falling down.

"I missed you so much!" Depa exclaims, muffled by the fabric of her jacket.

Caleb's eyes widen, gaining the same incredulous look she had had just a second ago.

 _She's not mad? At all?_

She releases him, only to leave her hands on his shoulders.

"I haven't seen you in forever!"

Caleb shakes his head a little, clearing his mind. When his vision focuses, he sees Depa's watery eyes.

"I … I've been here …"

 _How … I almost killed her!_

His thoughts quieten once she hugs him again, squeezing him for a second before backing off. He stands frozen as she wipes the tears from her eyes.

Depa shakes her head, but the grateful smile is still on her face. "I …"

As she stutters with her speech, Caleb notices the reflection of light from a small object peeking out of the top of her shirt.

"You kept it?"

"Hmm?" Depa glances down, pulling the chain up for both of them to see.

 _That's my necklace …_

He'd made it a week before he finally snuck out of the _Ghost._ It had been terrible then, just the thought of leaving his best friend possibly for good. Leaving his family. So he knew that he had to leave something behind.

Depa examines the charm, a miniature version of the starbird that his mother used to paint all the time before she left.

"I found this on the table next to my bed … I knew you left it as soon as I saw it."

Her expression falls as her fingers wrap around the charm.

"That's when I knew something was wrong …"

 _Depa …_

"I'm sorry. Really. But I had to look … nothing was the same after Mom left."

 _Kanan talked less … Hera avoided the subject with me … and Zeb and Chopper just outright didn't want to talk about it with anyone._

"I know … but you could've told me. Then we could've both asked for them to look again."

Caleb's gaze lingers on the necklace in her grasp. "You know they would've said no. And then you would've begged for you to go with me, and that would've made it a whole lot worse if Hera and Kanan found out we were both missing …"

"It was _already_ worse, Cal. We spent weeks looking for you."

Caleb hesitates at the use of his old nickname, the one she'd given him when they were old enough to talk and used since then.

"I said I'm sorry —"

"They couldn't have gotten far … find them!"

Caleb instantly shuts his mouth and pushes Depa back into the shadows, grabbing his helmet off the floor.

They wait in silence as the sound of footsteps grows increasingly louder.

"If you see Wren again, shoot him."

The trio of bounty hunters walk right past their hiding spot, and Caleb frowns after seeing the condition of the leader.

 _Kain always could take a hit. He's gonna be a problem._

A problem that he could deal with later, he knew. He had to get Depa somewhere safe first.

A few moments of silence later, Depa steps out from the darkness and peeks around the corner.

"They're gone."

"We need to leave. Kain will have his whole clan out looking for us," Caleb says, moving to stand next to her.

"Who?" Depa asks, glancing at him over her shoulder.

"Tell you later. After we get out of here," Caleb says, turning to move the opposite direction.

He smiles a little when he notices that Depa immediately follows him. Even after all this time apart, she could trust him.

— — —

"All right … who were those guys?"

Caleb freezes in the middle of the room, about the same size as the one he'd found her in.

 _She sounded just like Hera._

Caleb found out that Hera didn't like being kept in the dark about certain things, especially when he and Depa would sneak out without asking anyone. Depa seemed to have the same attitude.

He sets his helmet down on a small table before taking a seat next to it. He props his feet up on the tabletop and leans back in the chair.

"A bunch of nerf herders who think I owe them credits," Caleb finally answers, eyes closed.

" _Owe_?" Depa repeats, moving over to stand next to his chair.

Caleb opens his eyes and glances at her, seeing the concerned look on her face. He sighs. "I might've … stolen a few things from them a while back."

"You stole from somebody?" Depa repeats again, hand on the table.

 _What do you expect me to do?_

"It was medicine that they weren't even using. Kir — my partner and I gave them to people who needed them … like the Resistance," Caleb defends himself, eyes narrowed.

Depa's gaze shifts to his helmet. "Partner?"

" _Former._ She's dead." That's the only answer he's willing to give, even for her.

He sees the sad look on her face and frowns.

"I know," Depa says quietly, rubbing her arm. "I heard about what happened."

 _What? How? She wasn't there … she didn't see it._

"Explosion?"

Caleb looks back at her with a confused expression. "Yeah …"

"A Resistance soldier told me about the attack. He said it was —"

"A massacre," Caleb finishes. He runs a hand through his hair and exhales. "We lost everything … Rau … our freedom."

 _The Imperials publicly executed the survivors … to make examples. Kriffing monsters._

"I'm sorry," Depa says, looking at him. "But if you can help me, we can fix this. The Republic can send a fleet. Mom still has connections in the military …"

"They should've came months ago. One of their people didn't come back, so that should've made them think _something_ had happened," Caleb snaps, kicking the table in anger.

Depa flinches at his sudden change in behavior. He notices and sighs again.

"Sorry." He looks up at her from his seat and raises an eyebrow. "What do you need help with?"

There's a pause before she says anything.

"I need to get in the Imperial Complex. Without the um … assault," Depa explains, sitting on the edge of the table. "If I can find some useful information, I can deliver it back to Coruscant … and we can go home."

 _Home._

He'd waited four years to be home. Now his best friend was offering him a way back.

"What do you need to find?"

Depa smiles a bit, almost like she's trying to stay optimistic. "Well, it's more like _who_ do we need to find …"

 _Where is she going with this?_

"Fenn Rau."

* * *

 **So I had Chapter Nine done before last Sunday, and somehow it got deleted. It was like five thousand words, too. That's why this is so short. Basically I forgot some of the stuff I wrote and I wanted to go ahead and put a chapter up since I missed a date. Hopefully the next one will make up for it in size. Please review! (And thanks if you do!)**


	11. Through the Ashes

**Chapter Ten: Through the Ashes**

" _Fenn Rau?"_

Caleb looks at her, eyebrow raised.

"That's what I said," Depa replies simply, leaning against the table.

 _If she's heard the story before …_

"He's —"

"Dead, I know," Depa interrupts. "Just hear me out."

Caleb relaxes in his seat but keeps the same expression on his face, arms crossed.

"If he somehow survived the attack, then don't you think they'd capture him instead of kill him?"

 _Yeah, but …_

"I was thinking they'd keep him alive. For interrogation. So that means he might still be in the Complex's detention level."

Caleb glances out the window, where the lights outside had dimmed over time. He tilts his head to the side and mumbles, "There hasn't been an execution for him ..."

"See? He could be alive," Depa replies, smiling after he gets it.

He looks back at her with a frown. "Even if he's alive, how do you plan on getting in that place? It's suicide."

Depa's smile falls as she stares at him. "Well … I was kinda hoping you'd help with that. You were with the Resistance, right? They must've had some stuff on the complex."

"I wasn't _with_ the Resistance. I _helped_ them," Caleb points out. _And look where it got me._

"Did they have any intel on the place?" Depa asks, ignoring his statement.

"Yeah … a little. But it would be at the old base," Caleb answers, scratching his chin.

"Great. You can take me there, and we can get the stuff before it gets dark … or whatever dark is around here," Depa says, looking out the window.

Caleb's eyes widen before he stands in front of her. "Now hold on a minute. When you asked for help, I thought you meant simple stuff. Like getting off this rock."

"I can't just go back to Coruscant empty-handed," Depa tells him.

"Empty-handed? You already know everything! There's a blockade, there's a big base, and there's a whole lot of bucketheads. Now let's go home." Caleb grabs her wrist and starts to walk off, but she plants herself next to the table and doesn't give an inch.

"No, Cal. There are rules I have to follow. Procedure," Depa says, sliding her wrist out of his grasp.

Caleb rolls his eyes and spins to face her. " _Procedure …_ you never followed the rules back when I was with you."

"I grew up," Depa responds quietly, avoiding his gaze.

He stares with a brow raised.

She shakes her head before stepping past him, moving toward the door. "If you don't want to help, just give me the base's coordinates. You can go wait on the _Phantom_ with Chopper."

 _What?_

"Wait. Chopper's here?"

 _I haven't seen that droid in forever._

"He's hiding … which is something you like to do apparently. Now can you please give me the coordinates for your base?" Depa says, impatient.

 _What is her deal?_

Caleb grabs his helmet off the table and walks over to her. "All right … I'll go with you. Because I trust you. But as soon as something bad happens, we're out of here."

"Fine. Lead the way," Depa says, gesturing toward the door.

Caleb frowns before stepping out of the room, Depa following closely behind.

— — —

"Here we are."

Caleb folds his arms across his chest plate as Depa takes a step in front of him.

The Resistance base, located in the lower sewers of the city, had been completely destroyed. There were scorch marks and carbon scoring along the walls, and the main entrance had caved in.

"What happened?" Depa asks, awed.

"Empire burned it to the ground," Caleb answers, moving to stand next to her. "I never came back here … I knew they'd target this place after the stunt we pulled."

"Did anyone make it out?"

He glances at her from behind his helmet, seeing the sad look on her face.

"Um … there were escape tunnels in the back. So I'm pretty sure some people got out." He doesn't tell her that any surviving fighters were executed.

 _She doesn't need to know that._

He sighs and walks forward. "Come on."

They enter the base through a large hole in the wall, and Caleb doesn't waste time looking at the debris. He makes sure Depa's right behind him, and purposefully avoids any bodies laying on the ground.

"There might not be much left," Caleb tells her, facing forward.

"If there's anything we can use, then this trip was worth it," Depa says.

When they reach the base's command center, Caleb's optimism vanishes. The room had been burnt badly, and the consoles against the walls were all broken. Some were still sparking.

"Oh …" Depa moves a little in front of him, her boots cracking the glass littering the floor.

"Told you. There's nothing here," Caleb says, glancing around. He didn't expect to find anything.

 _If there was anything left, the Imperials took it with them. They're thorough._

"There's gotta be something," Depa groans, kicking a broken console aside. She wipes ashes off of the main table, and sighs when there's nothing underneath.

Caleb watches with a frown, arms folded across his chest. Something was off about the place.

 _If the bucketheads have been here before, they'd leave something behind to make sure scavengers or merchants didn't try to take anything that worked._

"Did you notice any sensors or anything when we came in here?"

Depa perks up, glancing at him with a raised eyebrow mark. "Huh?"

"Don't you think the Imperials would leave some kind of monitoring device to watch this place?" Caleb asks, walking over to the opposite end of the table.

Depa stares at him for a moment before responding. "Yeah … I guess. What are you thinking?"

Caleb opens his mouth to answer, but then he hears a low whirring noise. He sees the surprised look on Depa's face before he even realizes there's anything behind him.

"Probe!"

The black droid fires its built-in blaster, grazing Caleb's shoulder pad as he attempts to jump out of the way. He cringes and stumbles into the nearby wall, leaving the probe facing Depa.

She doesn't draw her own blaster to disable it, instead extending her hands and slamming the droid into the wall next to Caleb. He shields his face before a miniature shower of sparks rains down on him. The probe crashes down next to his leg, smoke bursting from a crack in its armor.

"Are you all right?"

 _Am I all right?_

Caleb looks at Depa with an incredulous expression as he lowers his arms. He glances at the smashed probe, then back at her.

"Did you just use the Force?"

Depa makes a confused face as she looks at his blank visor. "Yeah …"

 _I've never seen her do that._

He'd done something similar once, to save his partner. But he hadn't used the Force like that since, given the fact that he almost gave Kirra a heart attack.

"Never mind," Caleb mumbles, standing. "We need to leave. That probe probably alerted somebody that we're here."

"But what about —"

"We're leaving, Depa," Caleb repeats sternly.

Depa opens her mouth to protest, but then shakes her head and sighs. "Fine …"

 _I'm not risking anything … especially for her._

— — —

As soon as General Matok had seen the report sent in from the probe droid stationed at the old Resistance base, he'd headed straight toward the _Terminus_ 's bridge.

The bridge crew somehow got the message, and were already working faster than normal. The screens along the sides of the long room showed the Republic agent's last whereabouts, and officers traded datapads with reports from other probes and contacts on the surface.

As Matok walks toward the end of the bridge, he sees Volyk is still staring out the viewport from behind his helmet.

"My lord, we've received a new report from Sundari. A probe was able to spot the girl inside the Resistance base … and she wasn't alone."

Volyk turns to face him, and Matok quickly gives him the small, black device in his hands. The Vader lookalike thumbs a button on the side of the holoprojector, summoning a holographic image of a Mandalorian and the Twi'lek girl.

"There's gotta be something …" The Twi'lek kicks something that Volyk can't see, and he doesn't need to guess that she's frustrated.

The girl continues to look around rubble as the Mandalorian stays still. There's a moment before anyone speaks.

"Did you notice any sensors or anything when we came in here?"

Volyk glances at Matok, who's watching the hologram. "Who is the Mandalorian?"

Matok shakes his head. "We don't know. There aren't any records of him in the archives … it's likely the girl hired him."

"What are they looking for?" Volyk asks, firing another question.

"We're not completely sure. However, most of the consoles in that room contained information on our Central Complex …"

"They're trying to get inside." Volyk pauses, thinking. "Are there still any Resistance prisoners inside the complex?"

Matok frowns. "Um … Fenn Rau, I believe. Why? Do you think they'll try to contact him?"

"Probe!"

Volyk's eyes return to the hologram, where the probe fires a bolt into the armored Mandalorian's shoulder. He falls out of view, leaving the Twi'lek facing them. Her hands reach out, and suddenly the hologram blurs and disappears.

Matok nods while Volyk stares at the device in his hands. "That is what raised a red flag … we believe —"

"She is a Jedi," Volyk finishes.

Matok watches him, his helmet concealing all emotion.

Volyk places the mini holoprojector back in his hands and walks past him.

"Prepare my ship."


End file.
